Purpose of the Role
The Retirement Plan Operations Specialist supports the day-to-day servicing and operational needs of the firm's retirement plan business. This role serves as a technical and operational resource for existing retirement plan relationships, helping ensure service requests, documentation, vendor coordination, plan reviews, and ongoing plan requirements are handled accurately, timely, and consistently. The primary focus of this role is retirement plan service delivery and operational execution. Business development, overall retirement plan strategy, and leadership of the retirement plan business are outside the primary scope of this position.
Retirement Plan Service & Administration
Manage the day-to-day servicing and administration of the firm’s existing retirement plan relationships within established processes and service standards.
Coordinate and track plan sponsor and advisor service requests, plan updates, documentation, deadlines, and outstanding items through completion.
Maintain accurate plan information, sponsor contacts, vendor relationships, service history, and required documentation within the firm's systems.
Participate in plan sponsor meetings when technical or service expertise is needed.
Demonstrate ownership and follow-through on assigned service matters from initiation through resolution, including timely communication of status and outstanding items.
Recordkeeper, TPA & Vendor Coordination
Serve as an operational point of contact with recordkeepers, third party administrators, and other retirement plan service providers.
Coordinate service requests, plan updates, documentation, and issue resolution with external partners.
Track outstanding vendor items and timely escalate unresolved, higher-risk, compliance-related, or out-of-scope matters to the appropriate internal leaders or resources.
Plan Reviews, Technical & Compliance Support
Support the preparation and coordination of annual and periodic plan reviews, including gathering plan data, benchmarking information, investment information, and service history.
Provide technical retirement plan support to advisors, business development, and internal service partners as appropriate.
Support documentation and coordination related to Form 5500 filings, audits, plan testing, fiduciary reviews, and other regulatory or administrative requirements.
Track applicable plan deadlines and escalate potential compliance, fiduciary, or regulatory concerns appropriately.
New Plan Implementation & Transition Support
Partner with business development, advisors, recordkeepers, TPAs, and internal teams to support the implementation of newly won retirement plan relationships.
Gather required plan information and documentation, track implementation requirements, and coordinate operational onboarding activities.
Help ensure a clear handoff from business development into the firm's ongoing servicing model.
Maintain visibility into implementation status, outstanding requirements, and service-related dependencies and communicate updates to the appropriate internal leaders.
Operational Execution & Internal Partnership
Follow established retirement plan workflows, procedures, documentation standards, service expectations, and defined decision-making protocols.
Maintain visibility into outstanding service items and provide timely updates to internal partners.
Identify recurring service issues, documentation gaps, or workflow challenges and bring them to the appropriate leader for review and approval.
Support implementation of approved process improvements, procedures, templates, and service documentation.
Collaborate with advisors and internal service teams to provide a consistent and responsive retirement plan client experience.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
Retirement plan industry designation such as QKA®, CPFA®/QPFC, or comparable credential preferred.
Experience in retirement plan servicing, administration, relationship management, plan sponsor consulting, or a closely related retirement plan role.
Strong working knowledge of 401(k) plans, plan administration, recordkeeper and TPA relationships, and plan sponsor servicing.
Working knowledge of ERISA, Department of Labor and IRS requirements, and fiduciary considerations.
Demonstrated experience coordinating retirement plan service requests, plan reviews, vendor relationships, documentation, and ongoing plan requirements.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, follow through, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
Ability to work independently within established processes, exercise sound judgment, and appropriately escalate complex, compliance-related, or higher-risk matters.
FINRA licenses or other registrations as required based on the responsibilities of the position.
What Success Looks Like
Accurate and current retirement plan records, documentation, and client information.
Timely completion and follow through on service requests, deadlines, and assigned deliverables.
Demonstrated ownership of assigned service matters from initiation through resolution.
Effective coordination with plan sponsors, advisors, recordkeepers, TPAs, and internal partners.
Smooth operational transition of newly won retirement plan relationships into ongoing service.
Consistent adherence to established workflows and timely escalation of matters requiring compliance, strategic, or leadership involvement.
Identification of service or workflow opportunities and appropriate presentation of recommendations for review and approval.
A responsive, organized, and consistent service experience for retirement plan clients.
Role Structure
This role is focused on retirement plan service, technical support, administration, coordination, and operational execution. It partners closely with Retirement Plan Business Development, which owns prospecting, pipeline development, sales activity, and new business generation, and operates within the strategy, infrastructure, service standards, and operating model established by retirement plan leadership. The Retirement Plan Operations Specialist is responsible for consistent execution within that framework, maintaining visibility into service needs and outstanding matters, and appropriately escalating issues requiring additional leadership, strategic, compliance, or risk consideration
